Author Topic: Question for all cell phone users (Read 9336 times)

jcarter · « **Reply #15 on:** December 08, 2007, 02:33:53 PM »

I notice that sometimes with any phone, if I am sitting too close to my Macs, that they 'growl' at me.
Jane

I forgot to add this picture, its in Anguilla, and you can see St. Martin in the distance. They were building new cell towers on Anguilla, and we found the signal strength there awesome, could call USA so easy. We met the people who owned this property and they said to come up and watch the construction and hang out with them for the afternoon, we did.
It was quite interesting to see how they put these things together and how much anchoring they have to have! The wind there is strong sometimes, I climbed up a little way. Thats my husband looking towards St. Martin(where we never bothered to go).
Speaking of signal strength, this man who owned that house had the most impressive Ham Radio set up that I have ever ever seen in my entire life. He invited my husband to see it all, as his dad was into that years ago, and used to take his equipment on the research ship they were on.
This guy talked all over the world all the time from this island, he said that it was the best location he had found, so he built his house there, he lives in Texas too. (Half the fun of a trip is the people you meet.)
Jane

RHPConsult · « **Reply #16 on:** December 08, 2007, 07:23:01 PM »

If it's not too late, I'll chime in.

I've never used any "service" but AT&T (PacBell/Cingular). My attitude (first developed with a Motorola in the early 90s?) was that it was amazing simply to have "some" fairly regular service without wires, at a fidelity that hardly seemed to be a radio.

So maybe my expectation(s) remain a bit low.

I've been more concerned in recent months by the sometimes long delay in "left" messages showing-up in both my VoIP (Comcast) phone or my ATT cell than perhaps any other "quality" issue. It's episodic. And vexing, when it does occur.

I had an engagement with client in the 90s which was building towers across the US and in Asia, as fast as they could following their customers' purchase at auction of portions of the spectrum. I doubt that everything was "ready" for quality service at the beginning. But, they were more than ready to start collecting revenue from their HUGE investment.

Cell technology is clearly a work in progress. I can hardly compare that first Motorola with my iPhone. At the same time, my OnStar phone seems far, far superior to "land-based" cells, or whatever. I've read that it's several times more powerful. for reasons that I've not taken the time to discover.

BTW, anyone remember the "first" Mac? The FIRST one!

gunug · « **Reply #17 on:** December 08, 2007, 07:59:02 PM »

Single-sided floppy, 128K RAM, 68000 Processor! My step-dad was asking me the other day if I wanted his!

jcarter · « **Reply #18 on:** December 08, 2007, 08:19:58 PM »

Yes, the OnStar is pretty darn good. And the old Bag Phones with the much higher wattage were pretty good too, Ive still got one sitting on the back porch. Used to take them on our boat. The new phones are so light and have to use much less power, and with the camera aspect, the battery has to support that stuff too.

Interesting to see that the mobile phone situation in Africa, South America, and Mexico is working so well. If I was a company trying to erect wired poles for land lines in countrys like that, I would be pretty stressed out, just looking at the infrastructure. So I can see that the cell towers without wires are the way to go. And the PREpaid phones that these people have, are changing how the phone industry in these countries is evolving.

(And the stocks for these things have already pre-paid my grandkids way thru college.)

Technology is so amazing with what is happening now, we do see a lot of glitches, and I think that has to do with trying to make everything so small and to use less power, and to use smaller batteries. But it is working and I look at what was going on just 10 years ago! Incredible what we have seen happen in just 30 years! I love it.
Jane

bil207 · « **Reply #19 on:** December 08, 2007, 09:38:07 PM »

QUOTE

BTW, anyone remember the "first" Mac? The FIRST one!

"Lisa" Macintosh XL for a little under ten grand in '83.

I was working for the local county bar association and they sponsored an annual office automation expo in which Apple was an exhibitor.

P.S. I got my first computer an Apple II floor model for a pretty good price at the show in 1980.

Gregg · « **Reply #20 on:** December 08, 2007, 11:14:07 PM »

QUOTE(gunug @ Dec 8 2007, 07:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Single-sided floppy, 128K RAM, 68000 Processor! My step-dad was asking me the other day if I wanted his!

Where's Parker? He'd take it.

RHPConsult · « **Reply #21 on:** December 09, 2007, 03:45:51 AM »

Not then even called "Classic", my first Mac, I thought, had only 64k . . . I have a faint (Oh! so very faint) recollection of paying a couple hundred bucks later for a boost to 128!

Yoo Hoo, Parker.

It was February of '85 that the BIG, white box arrived (my son, then a grad student at the Univ. of Rochester had gotten it for me for only 3 grand, including an Imagewriter - which seemed to weigh-in at aprox 100 lbs).

These days that box holds all our Christmas decorations, I saw it yesterday!

It sat in the corner of my office for about 10 days, until I got the courage to open it up at about 8:00a on a Saturday morning. I do recall this as though it were yesterday.

I didn't move from that chair until 3 o'clock the next morning . . . learning my "new way of life", named Mac and MacWrite!! No TechSupport, no 800 page manual (for Dummies or anyone else) no awareness of hard drives or backing-up, just that astonishingly intuitive, elegant, little program (on a single floppy) that permanently retired my electric typewriter.

bil207 · « **Reply #22 on:** December 09, 2007, 07:56:27 AM »

Nostalgia buffs can read more on the early Apple's here.

sandbox · « **Reply #23 on:** December 09, 2007, 03:34:56 PM »

QUOTE

OnStar relies heavily on North American AMPS service for its subscribers because, when the system was developed, AMPS offered the most comprehensive wireless coverage in the US. ADT recently asked the FCC to extend the AMPS deadline due to many of their alarm systems still using analog technology to communicate with the control centers.[7] Cellular companies who own an A or B license (such as Verizon and Alltel) must still provide analog service until February 18, 2008. After that point, however, most cellular companies will be eager to shut down AMPS and use the remaining channels for digital services. OnStar is transitioning to digital service with the help of data transport technology developed by Airbiquity, but warns customers who cannot be upgraded to digital that their service will permanently expire on January 1, 2008.[8]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMPS

jcarter · « **Reply #24 on:** December 09, 2007, 03:54:10 PM »

Will OnStar still be good?

About the old phones,,,,,,,
One of my friends had to get a new cell phone, as ATT would not support his ancient phone, and he was extremely angry as the phone had no bells and whistles which he did not want anyway, it was just an old cell phone which had lots of power.
They told him that it was obsolete and to toss it.
Jane

sandbox · « **Reply #25 on:** December 09, 2007, 04:05:33 PM »

The early Onstar systems, 1996.... could be obsolete. I had and early system in a dually pickup. I'm not sure what year they upgraded to digital, or changed the method of use. My travels are confined to this area, and onstar was used less and less until we discontinued it.

RHPConsult · « **Reply #26 on:** December 09, 2007, 04:55:25 PM »

Jane:

My 90 year old brother-in-law just received from his kids an Old Folks Phone (so designated by his grandsons). It has absolutely NO bells, whistles or kitchen sinks. First cell he's ever had. It features 3 emergency call buttons only, in addition to the key pad. Your friend should ask around. I think it was from Verizon.

As to OnStar, SandBox, I have no doubt my service will continue through 2008 . . . on accountabecause I paid for it!

Negotiating around and through all the new electronics of my new car (first one since 1989) resulted in my locking myself out 3 times in the first ten days. OnStar to the rescue . . . .

Xairbusdriver · « **Reply #27 on:** December 10, 2007, 03:21:19 PM »

Don't know why OnStar would be concerned about analog equipment, haven't seen a car with a phone wire attached in months! The analog-out-of-date problem has caused costs for security alarms that use cell phone equipment as an alternate means of notification. Many apparently used analog connections which have to be replaced by next Feb.

I'm also wondering about satelite TV services. My Parents-in-Law live in a very rural area and cable is simply not an option. While the download is, of course, via the satelite link, they must be connected with a land line for some services. I wonder if that will also require digital 'upgrades', even though there is no need for cellular service.

Might be a good time to simply cancel the thing, they have a difficult time even turning on the required boxes (DVD, TV, satelite box) and they seldom ever watch it.

Gregg · « **Reply #28 on:** December 11, 2007, 07:36:36 AM »

The information I've seen so far indicates that satellite subscribers will not have a problem with the transition. I still intend to call my provider and find out if I need a different receiver. Someday....

News:

Author Topic: Question for all cell phone users (Read 9336 times)